138
	  Visiting and Camp Life.
was a squirt, generally.)     To Berdan�s Camp,
finding his men exercising.   Ripley, Aiken�s
brother-in-law, proved to be a distant relative
of the Major Ripley (now General in the rebel 
service) of Charleston, Moultrie and Sumter,
who is his grandfather�s cousin.  Talk and drinks.
Heichhold off.    We stay to supper, then re-
turn to our sojourning place, stopping at Green�s 
house to buy eggs.     Scribbling till 2. Pm. M.
in Heichhold�s hut, the day dying gustely and
drearily.          I may say here that Skilton�s
hospitality wasn�t gratuitous.   I advanced money
to Holman for the general board, and paid Skil-
ton so much per month for the feed of my horse,
who was half starved, I believe, by the neglect
of his negro.        Hall, getting no remittances from
Leslie, was hard up; I had to cater and speak
for him almost all the time we were together.  H
was a kindly fellow and I liked him.
  24.  Thursday.   Abed till 9.         Writing letter
to Haney.   At 1 P. M. Anderson and Craw-
ford came in.          With Skilton and a military
friend of his for a ride.      This friend wore spurs
with huge rowels, to which was appended some
jingling ornament, he seemed a pretty efficient
cavalry man, but otherwise an ass.       He came
from Troy, N.Y.    Visited the 12th N.Y. then
to the 1st Mass.    Wells and Talcot.    Then past